


When the Shoe Fits

by musical_fan_14



Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Cinderella Elements, Jesse Manes is His Own Warning, M/M, Male Cinderella, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, alex is cinderella, alex is too good for this world, michael is the prince, no evil step-sisters but evil brothers, other than gregory
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-16
Updated: 2020-08-15
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:35:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,582
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25911424
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/musical_fan_14/pseuds/musical_fan_14
Summary: Alex is a kind soul who lives in a household with no love left to give. Michael is a prince who just wants to study science. What happens when the two meet? and when one loses their shoe?It's my Malex Cinderella AU!
Relationships: Michael Guerin/Alex Manes
Comments: 6
Kudos: 21





	When the Shoe Fits

In a land not as far as it may seem. A young boy, Alex, was born into the world. He was not born of noble blood. But he was born into the arms of a loving mother, and into a very proud family. His father, a man of war, had seen many tragedies in his life and held a high title of general. Although he had not served in many years, he treated his sons as if they were soldiers instead of sons. His mother, A kind woman, who loved her sons dearly. But who could never protect them the way a mother should be able. She loved her youngest because she could see the kindness that overfilled his heart. His eldest brother, Gregory, Who loved his younger brother much more than his father loved any of them, so much so that the young boy often thought of his brother as a father. The twins, Flint, and Clay, who were just as awful to the young boys as their father is.

The young boy, Alex, who saw not only the world as it was, but as it could be, with just a little bit of magic. He grew up with the love of his mother and his brother. Which was all the boy thought he needed. He didn’t need riches or fame. He had a mother who taught him how to be kind and believe in all the magic in the world. He had his eldest brother, who taught him to stand strong and care not what others thought of him. And although his father and other brothers treated him like the mud under their shoes, Alex realized at a young age he didn’t need their love as long as he had his mother and Gregory.

The family lived outward of the village, in a house that the Manes’ family had owned for generations. It was a large house with an expansive acreage around it. The house not only had the Manes family, it had an experienced staff. Some to care for the house, some to care for the garden, some for the animals, and some to care for the people inside of the house. The staff was small in size but they seemed to know the house better than some of the family who had lived in it for years.

\----------------------

The young Alex, as he grew, found himself spending more time in the expansive gardens with his mother. Caring for the plants and his animal friends. Rather than with his father, who was training the twins, who were only 11 years at this point, for the guard. Alex, who himself was 8 years, asked his mother while they tended the garden together, “Why are Flint and Clay, always with father? While I’m here with you?”

Alex’s mother smiled softly at him. “Your father is training them for their future,” she said.

Alex looked at his mother confused. “When I am their age. Will I be trained too?” He asked. “Not if I have anything to say about it,” His mother said, turning her body towards Alex. “ _Mon fils_ , you are so different from your brothers. You have so much kindness in your little body,” she said, placing her hand gently over Alex's heart. “That it flows from the top of your head,” she gently touched the top of his head. “To your smallest toe,” she said, touching the tip of his boot. “And I fear that if your father trains you like your brothers, not even your fairy godmother will be able to protect you.”

Alex looked at his mother confused. “ _Maman_ , what's a fairy godmother?”

Alex’s mother smiled and laughed lightly, “You know how we care for all of the animals on our farm?” His mother asked. Alex nodded. “Well fairy godmothers care for us as we care for our animals,” She explained gently tapping Alex’s nose. Alex giggled and smiled.

“Have you ever seen a fairy godmother _maman_?” Alex asked as his mother turned back to her flowers.

Alex’s mother smiled at her son and patted the spot next to her. Alex kneeled next to his mother and reached to help her with the flowers. “No _mon fils_ , I have never seen my fairy godmother,” she said. Alex frowned, and his mother added, “However I believe that they watch over us and help us when we need it most.”

“Well if you believe then I believe too!” Alex said smiling, then continuing to help his mother.

\----------------------

They continued to work in the garden until the sound of horses, and a carriage made Alex leap up from his spot and ran towards the front of the house. Alex’s mother quickly yelled after him. “Alex be careful!” But Alex was too far to hear her.

Alex ran into the house through the service door and ran straight into chef Arturo’s legs. Alex fell back onto the floor and felt tears well up in his eyes.

“Now now young man, what are those tears for?” chef Arturo asked, kneeling in front of Alex.

“I’m so- sorry Mr. Arturo,” Alex said, sniffling. “I was ju- just running to greet Gregory.” Chef Arturo smiled and reached to help Alex up.

“Well then you better hurry,” he said. “Sir Gregory will be waiting for you.” Alex smiled and quickly wiped his tears away. Arturo smiled. “Just watch where you're headed, young man. Don’t want to knock anyone over with that strength.” Alex giggled and quickly ran off.

“Thank you, Mr. Arturo!!” Alex yelled as he continued to run through the house, dodging all the staff he came across. Then running out the front entryway past his father.

“Alexander! You better not have been running through my house!” His father yelled. But young Alex couldn’t find it in himself to care as he ran through the door and towards his brother.

“Gregory!” Alex yelled, throwing himself at his brother.

“Alex!” Gregory yelled, catching Alex in a hug.

Since Gregory was the oldest of the Manes sons, himself 16 years, Gregory was always away training to join the royal guard. However, his training brought him to many strange lands in which he always found something to bring back for his little brother. He brought back something for everyone. But he loved watching Alex smile when he returned from his training.

Gregory gently placed Alex down and turned around to grab something from the carriage. Alex stood on his tiptoes to try and get a peek at what Gregory was doing. Gregory turned around and knelt so that he was eye to eye with Alex. He pulled a small green box out from behind his back and presented it to Alex.

“I think there’s something inside.” He whispered to Alex. Alex lit up with joy and gently took the box from his brother's hands. Alex untied the string holding the box together. As the sides of the box fell, a paper butterfly sprang up out of the box. Alex looked at the butterfly and smiled widely. Gregory smiled and detached the rod that held the paper butterfly from the box. “In french,” Gregory started. “This is _Un Papillon_.”

Alex smiled as Gregory handed him the paper butterfly. “ _Un papillon_ ” Alex repeated.

Gregory smiled at Alex and nodded. “ _Ouais c’est vrai_!” Gregory exclaimed, then looked over to his father, who held a disapproving glare on his face. “Alex go find _Maman, Bien_?”

Alex nodded, holding his gift tightly. “ _D’accord_ ,” Alex said quietly, running to go find their mother.

“Father,” Gregory said standing up.

“You shouldn’t be encouraging your brother that way, Gregory.” His father said sternly.

“Father, he is only a child. Let him enjoy being a child,” Gregory said.

His father scoffed. “He’s going to have to grow up sooner rather than later. I won’t have him embarrassing our family.”

Gregory bit his tongue. “Yes father,” he said stiffly.

His father nodded then turned back into the house. In the entryway, Alex was showing Mimi DeLuca, the caretaker of the house, His butterfly.

Alex’s father glared at his youngest. “Alexander.” His father said sternly.

Alex tensed and turned to face his father, hiding his butterfly behind his back. “Yes Father?” he asked softly.

“Go clean up. You’re getting dirt all over my floors. And quit playing with that stupid toy.”

Alex frowned and held back tears, “yes father,” he said meekly.

“Don’t mumble Alexander. Speak up.”

“Ye-Yes Father,” Alex spoke a little louder. His father nodded then walked towards his study.

Mimi frowned and knelt next to Alex. “Chin up _petit maître_.” Mimi whispered, lifting Alex’s chin to meet her eyes. “Let's get you cleaned up and we can put your papillon in a safe spot. _D’accord_?”

Alex smiled and nodded. “ _D’accord_.” Mimi smiled and took Alex’s hand and led him up the stairs towards the washroom.

\--------------------------

While Gregory was home from training, life in the house seemed brighter. At least to Alex, whose ninth birthday was steadily approaching. Preparations were being made for the youngest Mane’s birthday party. A celebration the whole staff was excited about.

The party was just getting into swing. The party was not huge. But it felt like the biggest party to Alex. The whole staff had the night off, Mimi and Arturo brought their kids along, who were close in age to Alex.

Arturo brought his daughters, Rosa and Liz. Rosa, the oldest thought the party was lame but found that she enjoyed it more after spending it with Alex. Liz thought the party was the coolest thing, and she immediately got along with Alex. In the end they both asked their father if they could meet with Alex again.

Mimi had also brought her daughter, Maria. Maria, like Rosa, thought that the party was lame, Why was she going to the party of a baby? He’s only turning 9. I'm turning 11 soon. But as soon as Alex ran up to her to introduce himself, she realized that he is the reason his mother still works at this house. Then she vowed that she would protect Alex in the way she couldn’t protect her mother.

The Valentis also came, Jim Valenti being a friend of Alex’s father and Kyle Valenti who was a friend of Alex's. Kyle was excited because since his best friend was turning nine they were now the same age. And now they could do things together because they’re the same age. Which according to Kyle's logic was the only reason he hadn’t been hanging out with Alex as much.

Alex is living the dream, he didn’t get many presents this year. Which he didn’t mind. But he made three brand new friends! And they all promised they would come to visit whenever they could!

As soon as all the guests had arrived they moved to the dining hall in which a very large table had been set up. It was secretly two tables pushed together but it didn’t matter. All the guests took seats around the table, Alex’s father being at one end of the table and Jim Valenti being at the other.

When the food was brought out Alex was so very excited. Arturo had promised him all of his favorite foods.

He had said. “Nine years is a very big moment. You shall eat like a king!” In response, Alex had giggled and said, “I can’t be king yet! I’m only turning nine!” then Arturo had said. “Well, then you will eat like a prince!” In which Alex nodded and smiled at Arturo.

When they had finished eating, they all moved from the large table they were all sitting around, over to the stack of presents that had grown since the start of the night. When Alex sat down in front of the stack of presents he had counted nine whole presents!

“Which one do you want to open first?” Gregory asked Alex. Alex studied the presents intently then looked over to the side to find an oddly shaped package wrapped unlike the rest of his presents. Instead of a bright foil, it was wrapped in brown packing paper.

Alex stood up and walked over to that present and gently lifted it, finding it to be heavier than he thought it would be. Alex turned him and the present so they could face the group. He set the present gently on the ground and opened it slowly. Inside the wrappings, there was a beautiful sleek guitar.

Alex looked through the paper to see if he could find out who the guitar was from, only to find a tag that said.

_Share this gift by creating music for all. - F.G._

Alex smiled and looked at his mother. “Thank you _Maman_ ,” he said to her. She just looked back at him confused but didn’t say anything.

Alex moved on to the next present after gently setting the guitar aside. Alex had gotten art supplies from the Ortechos. A sketchpad from Liz colored pencils from Rosa and drawing pencils from Arturo. He got sewing supplies from Mimi and a homemade broach from Maria. From the Valentis he got a new riding saddle. From his mother, he got more piano music, and Gregory had gotten him a brand new pair of shoes and a light blue journal.

His father and the twins gave him his gift that morning, a horse of his own, one that was already trained and given the name Buffy. She was a cream-colored horse with brown speckles covering her body. Alex had compared them to stars, while the twins thought they just looked like freckles.

After Alex had opened up his presents they all went to go eat the cake that Arturo had made. As the candles on the cake were lit, the guests all sang and wished Alex a happy birthday.

Alex’s mother, who was sitting across the table from Alex, smiled at her son and quietly said to him. “If you make a wish blowing out your candles your fairy godmother will make it come true.” Alex smiled widely and closed his eyes, making his wish, then gently blew out his candles. Alex opened his eyes and looked at his mother only to see her deathly pale and violently shaking.

“ _Maman_?” Alex said concerned, which got everyone to turn their heads toward him. Alex’s mother fell out of her chair with a harsh thud. “ _Maman_!” Alex cried. Alex’s father and Jim Valenti quickly ran over to Alex’s mother. Alex’s father turned to one of the farmers who were at the party and yelled.

“Go into town and get a doctor! Quickly.” the farmer ran as fast as he could out the door. Alex tried to get over to his mother, but Gregory quickly grabbed Alex and held him back.

Jim Valenti saw Alex and looked at Gregory then to Mimi and Arturo. “Get the kids out of here. They don’t need to see this,” he said.

Gregory nodded, and although Alex continued to try to get to his mother. Gregory pulled him out of the room. With Mimi and Arturo following quickly with the rest of the kids. Mimi left Maria and Kyle with Gregory and ran to get some warm towels and a bucket.

Alex was still crying. “What’s wrong with _Maman_?” Alex asked Gregory.

Gregory frowned at Alex and pulled him into a gentle hug. “I don’t know but they’re getting a doctor and they’ll figure it out.” He said to Alex. “ _Maman_ will be alright I promise. _Je promets_.”

**Author's Note:**

> um, so this is the first chapter of my cinderella au!
> 
> I would love to hear what you guys think cause this is my first time putting my writing out into the world.
> 
> please feel free to discuss this story with me on Tumblr: xx-this-is-a-mess-xx


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